Malinowski Calls for Policy Change in Light of Allegations Against Senior Administration Official

I found Ms. Brennan’s allegations to be credible and I echo her calls for meaningful policy reforms so that future survivors will not endure the year long ordeal that has brought her to this point.

Any woman who chooses to face very personal, invasive, public scrutiny into what may have been the single most traumatic experience of her life deserves to be heard, respected, and given the benefit of the doubt.

Knowledge of the incident by the transition should have triggered significantly greater scrutiny before the alleged assailant was hired. That prosecutors chose not to pursue criminal charges should not have settled the matter, and it let too many involved look the other way.

Prosecutors must be less reticent to take on criminal sexual assault cases, and I fully support Ms. Brennan's recommendation that the General Assembly pursue legislation to ensure New Jersey’s police and other first responders are better trained to respond to sexual assault victims. It's often in the immediate aftermath of an assault where the viability of a case against the accused can be made. I also support her call to extend the statute of limitations for civil actions in such cases.

Ms. Brennan has waited too long for justice. We must do better. I believe the Governor is taking this situation very seriously and expect he will take the appropriate next steps.